Random Rants LXIX: Life is a Dismal Chore

[Arakhor]

As for the shutting studios down thing: All they did was shut down Bioware Montreal, which was only ever a support studio anyway. Mass Effect Andromeda was their chance to prove they could be more than a support studio and they screwed it up big time.

How do you know that that wasn't EA's primary decision anyway? We have no idea what schedules, staffing or other issues that Bioware had to work to and EA is infamous for forcing studios to under-perform and then closing them anyway.

 

[Commodore]

How do you know that that wasn't EA's primary decision anyway? We have no idea what schedules, staffing or other issues that Bioware had to work to and EA is infamous for forcing studios to under-perform and then closing them anyway.

There's a YouTube channel called PrettyGoodGaming that covered the whole thing. According to documents that were released Mass Effect Andromeda had been in development since 2013. However, 10 months or so before the launch date, they had to completely revamp and redesign the game and EA refused to push back the release date. I forget the precise reason why, but I remember Bioware Montreal accusing Bioware Edmonton of "sabotaging" their efforts to make Mass Effect Andromeda. So, if anything, it seems as though it was possibly internal drama at Bioware that ruined Andromeda.

 

[Takhisis]

That would involve playing as a species other than humanity or any of the other established species and advancing the timeline 50,000 years into the future. A Reaper victory would result in the complete annihilation of all space-faring species since the Reapers engage in a cycle of destruction in which they show up roughly every 50,000 years to destroy all advanced space-faring life. I won't spoil why they do it though just in case you ever do decide to play the games.

It surely does sound as if someone had ripped off the plotline for Freespace 2.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I got an email from the cop who handled my file when that tenant tried pushing his way in here. Because nothing was caught on the security cameras (there aren't any in the hallway) and nobody witnessed him trying to get in here (if it ever happens again, I'm going to shout loud enough to wake the proverbial dead) and he told the cops he came here "by accident" (yeah, sure), there's nothing they can do.

In the meantime I'm told to stay away from him and hopefully the manager here can use my statement as a good enough reason to kick him out.

In the meantime I'm still not feeling safe here, with that POS living upstairs.

 

[Cutlass]

Have everyone keep their garden hoses ready and when he comes by spray him.

I got an email from the cop who handled my file when that tenant tried pushing his way in here. Because nothing was caught on the security cameras (there aren't any in the hallway) and nobody witnessed him trying to get in here (if it ever happens again, I'm going to shout loud enough to wake the proverbial dead) and he told the cops he came here "by accident" (yeah, sure), there's nothing they can do.

In the meantime I'm told to stay away from him and hopefully the manager here can use my statement as a good enough reason to kick him out.

In the meantime I'm still not feeling safe here, with that POS living upstairs.

Do you have pepper spray or a taser?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Do you have pepper spray or a taser?

I'm pretty sure those aren't legal here.

 

[shadowplay]

I'm pretty sure those aren't legal here.

You can purchase bear spray (pepper spray) at the sort of place you'd find camping supplies, like a good sporting goods store. It comes in a large canister, sort of like bug spray, so you wouldn't be able to easily bring it with you when you go out. It could potentially still be useful for defending yourself in your home (along with a good, loud whistle.)

 

[Cutlass]

You can purchase bear spray (pepper spray) at the sort of place you'd find camping supplies, like a good sporting goods store. It comes in a large canister, sort of like bug spray, so you wouldn't be able to easily bring it with you when you go out. It could potentially still be useful for defending yourself in your home (along with a good, loud whistle.)

Pepper Spray Laws in Canada
by Erik Devaney

Unlike the United States, Canada has a parliamentary democratic system wherein the “majority rules.” This means that a majority is needed in Parliament in order to pass a new act, which was the case with the Firearms Act of 1995. In addition to “grading” firearms as non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited, the act also covered various other weapons, including knives and spray devices. Pepper spray, as we commonly think of it as a defense mechanism against a human attacker, is technically illegal in Canada. However, there is a loophole in the law.

Prohibited Weapon
Under Canada’s Firearms Act, pepper spray is considered a prohibited weapon, meaning it cannot be produced or sold in Canada. Other prohibited weapons include handguns, fully automatic rifles, and certain types of knives, particularly the butterfly and gravity varieties. According to cbsa.asfc.gc.ca, Canadian law also prohibits the manufacture, sale and use of products that are similar to pepper spray, and specifies that any gas, powder, or liquid spray that is capable of injuring or immobilizing a person is prohibited (this includes the brand-name product Mace).


Bringing Pepper Spray into Canada
Firearms that are classified as un-restricted, such as hunting rifles, can be brought into Canada from the United States. According to travel.state.gov, all you need to do is fill out a Non-Resident Declaration form at the border. Under certain circumstances, restricted firearms, such as some semiautomatic weapons, can also be brought in, although you will need to obtain an Authorization to Transport permit from a territorial or provincial Firearms Office. Pepper spray, however, under its prohibited classification, is not allowed into the country. If you are caught in (or going into) Canada with pepper spray, you could be prosecuted and potentially imprisoned.

Loophole
While it seems pretty straightforward that pepper spray is illegal in Canada, laws can sometimes be confusing and hard to interpret, as panda.com points out. According to this source, pepper spray can be legally purchased and used in Canada, but only when certain conditions apply. First, the spray must clearly indicate on its dispenser that it is intended for animal and not human use (the most common animals these sprays are designed for are bears and dogs). And second, the spray must qualify as a pest control product under Canada’s Pest Control Product Act. Keep in mind that if you are caught using a bear or dog repellent like a conventional pepper spray (for example, you carry it around with you on the street or on a bus), you can still be charged with a crime.


References

• D19-13-2 Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices
• Canada’s Gun Laws for Americans
• Travel.State.gov: Canada

http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/pepper-spray-laws-canada-10144.html

Huh. I had a can of dog repellent on me the whole time I was in Canada last year.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Pepper Spray Laws in Canada
by Erik Devaney



http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/pepper-spray-laws-canada-10144.html

Huh. I had a can of dog repellent on me the whole time I was in Canada last year.

People are advised to carry bear spray in the national parks if they're going hiking. That's pretty much the only legitimate use for it, unless you're a cop. I'd never get away with buying it in person; one look at me with my wheeled walker, asking to buy bear spray for hiking in the mountains, and they'd fall over laughing.

Trying to buy it online would probably get me flagged as a terrorist or protester who means to a troublemaker. It's not worth the trouble.



Supplemental rant: there's a scam going on now, where some jerk from India, pretending to be Canadian (calling themselves by an improbably WASP Canadian name) is trying to convince people that Microsoft is going to block them from the internet because of hacking. This is the third time they called, and I'm pretty tired of it. So I just flat-out called him a <censored> scammer, told him to go away, and he hung up. It was funny, hearing his angry muttering when he realized he wasn't going to be given access to my computer.

 

[Arakhor]

I once told a similar Asian fellow that he should get a proper job and put the phone down. He promptly rung back to abuse me for being rude to him!

 

[shadowplay]

People are advised to carry bear spray in the national parks if they're going hiking. That's pretty much the only legitimate use for it, unless you're a cop. I'd never get away with buying it in person; one look at me with my wheeled walker, asking to buy bear spray for hiking in the mountains, and they'd fall over laughing.

Trying to buy it online would probably get me flagged as a terrorist or protester who means to a troublemaker. It's not worth the trouble.

If you want bear spray, you buy bear spray. It's not the job of the person selling it to you to determine some sort of eligibility.

Supplemental rant: there's a scam going on now, where some jerk from India, pretending to be Canadian (calling themselves by an improbably WASP Canadian name) is trying to convince people that Microsoft is going to block them from the internet because of hacking. This is the third time they called, and I'm pretty tired of it. So I just flat-out called him a <censored> scammer, told him to go away, and he hung up. It was funny, hearing his angry muttering when he realized he wasn't going to be given access to my computer.

When they tell me their name is Rob, I tell them my name is Jamshed. They always get a kick out of that.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I once told a similar Asian fellow that he should get a proper job and put the phone down. He promptly rung back to abuse me for being rude to him!

Yeah, they do that sometimes. They just want the last word. The last time with this jerk, I squeezed my red Angry Bird toy at the receiver (it makes a noisy squeaking sound). Maybe I should get something that sounds even more obnoxious, like a recorder. I've been planning to get one anyway, since I used to play one and was starting to get not too bad on it. But recorders, when the player isn't controlling their fingering or breathing correctly, sound as horrible as fingernails on a chalkboard. And they're shrill when this happens.

In my case, there's an advantage in having a landline attached to the wall, and the computer is in another room. I don't have to lie about not being in front of the computer at the moment, and I told him that it would be impossible to remain on the line with him and be in front of my computer at the same time.

Okay, technically, I could move the computer. It's on a TV table right now, and there is a plugin within reach of the phone. But I would never go through that hassle unless I was talking to a legitimate customer service agent, for help in talking me through a problem. And in that case I would be the one initiating the call.

 

[Cutlass]

If you want bear spray, you buy bear spray. It's not the job of the person selling it to you to determine some sort of eligibility.

Dog spray would be easier to explain.

 

[Takhisis]

Maybe I should get something that sounds even more obnoxious, like a recorder.

An electric shaving device?

 

[Lemon Merchant]

Well then they just need to set up another road block, this time with a video camera to record his antics.

Take a video. That's all the evidence I think they should need to act.

Problem is that the little bugger wears a full face shield and they would need to see his face to make a conviction, so I'm told. Word around the neighborhood is that someone is going to put a rope across the road and wait for him. I hope not. Because that would be truly stupid.

 

[Cutlass]

Problem is that the little bugger wears a full face shield and they would need to see his face to make a conviction, so I'm told. Word around the neighborhood is that someone is going to put a rope across the road and wait for him. I hope not. Because that would be truly stupid.

How about garden hoses and water balloons?

 

[shadowplay]

Dog spray would be easier to explain.

I'm not sure you can purchase dog spray in Canada, although mail carriers do have small cans of it. I don't know if it's available to the public the way bear spray is (which is in a large canister that can't easily be concealed).

Problem is that the little bugger wears a full face shield and they would need to see his face to make a conviction, so I'm told. Word around the neighborhood is that someone is going to put a rope across the road and wait for him. I hope not. Because that would be truly stupid.

This is the sort of thing I'd want Tim taking care of.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

An electric shaving device?

A recorder is a musical instrument. Expensive ones are made of wood. Inexpensive ones are made of plastic. Trust me, if you play these things off-key or too hard, the noise is excruciating to the ears.

 

[Takhisis]

Electric shaving devices are also a bloody nuisance, but it's not that likely that you'd have one, now that I think of it.

 

[Arakhor]

I always dry shave, because I can't stand the idea of plastering shaving foam all over my face every few days.